Past Tense
by Nightmarish Black
Summary: Things don't always go as planned when you have a penchant for picking up strays. So finds out Axel and Marluxia when Marluxia's nephews must stay with them. [AU][AkuMaru][Rating subject to change] Note about WAOPS inside.


It's done. This has been my baby since...near the end of the summer or so.

I hadn't worked on it much, as I'd been busy with WAOPS, but I've got time for it now. Plenty of time. WAOPS is only on haitus, don't worry.

I personally like this story idea much better. The characters are in much better roles, there's more developement and less OOC moments, and a much better, more developed plotline. I have this planned out all the way until the end.

I do hope you enjoy this. I personally love it.

* * *

Axel pressed his face against the cool metal, hands wrapping around the bars. "C'mon, man, let me out. You know me." When the black-haired man only glanced at him, he groaned. "Xaldin, you can trust me, you know that." His voice had a pleading tone to it, giving him what he hoped was an innocent quality.

"Actually," the older man answered, getting up from his chair and going over to Axel. "I can't. That's why you're in a holding cell. Axel, you do know that I'm your friend, but I'm also your probation officer."

"So you could let me out, yeah?" Axel rubbed his bloodshot eyes, pushing himself away from the bars to sit down on the bench, booted feet crossing with a thunk. "You know I didn't do anything wrong. Why do I have to wait for 'lux to get here with bail? I'm not a flight risk or anything. I mean, I'm clean, c'mon!"

"Clean, huh?" Xaldin asked, standing in front of the bars, arms crossed. "Show me your arms, then." When Axel didn't move to do so, the bigger of the two growled, "Now, unless you want a formal drug test."

Sticking much too skinny arms through the bars, the redhead grumbled as the officer pushed his sleeves up, revealing the old scars on the insides of his elbows. "See? You don't trust me!"

A sigh. "You're lucky to be getting off so easily this time. Slap on the wrist and off you go. You can't always count on me to get you out of this, Axel."

After pulling both arms back, he waved it off cockily. "Guess I'll have to wait for 'lux to get here, then." Poisonously green eyes flicked to the clock, which read 3:25PM. Xaldin had called Marluxia's cell phone around 3; he should arrive any minute (although it was the middle of his workday). Axel stood, pacing, each step clunking in the silence.

"Axel!" Called a voice sharply, causing the druggie to whirl about, caught off guard.

"'luxia!" He called back, waving to him. When the other came closer, blue eyes narrowed, Axel faced him down, despite the fact that the older had grabbed him by the collar and hoisted him up onto the toes of his boots.

Marluxia growled at him, "Why are you here again? Can't you stay out of goddamned trouble for a week?"

Freeing his collar, he shrugged to get the jacket settled on his shoulders evenly once more. He put his hand through the bars, sliding it up the other's inner thigh with a smirk. "C'mon, 'lux," when he felt the hand had gone high enough, he moved to whisper in the other's ear, "Don't you just want to get me back home?" His voice lowered to a hoarse whisper, "You know, throw me on the couch and--" He was forced to stop talking when Xaldin rolled his eyes and walked towards them, unlocking the door.

"Get out of here. I don't want to see you back here until it's time for you to check in again. Got it?"

"Yeah, yeah, got it memorized," Axel answered airily, picking his bag up from the floor and swinging it over his shoulder as he stepped out, listening to the barred door bang shut behind him.

The brunette took his hand roughly, pulling him close. "I agree with him. Stay away from trouble."

With a snicker, Axel pressed his lips to Marluxia's cheek, "Am I going to have to be punished?" When the other didn't reply, Axel scowled, allowing himself to be led out of the building.

"So, 'lux, you going to take me up on that offer?" Axel cocked a brow at him as he questioned the older man, but was only answered with the passenger side door opening.

"Get in."

He obeyed, putting his bag on his lap as he crossed his knees, wriggling about until he got comfortable. The drive back to their (Marluxia's) apartment was silent. Axel watched him carefully until they got home. Hiking up the stairs, he tossed his bag into a corner, walking into the living room, where he glanced towards the other.

"Marluxia," he began, but was stopped when the other forced their lips together in a kiss that knocked the breath from his lungs. The bigger of the pair pinned him to the ground, a knee on either side of Axel's slender waist. Out of long practice, his body reacted of it's own will to the other's touches, a not-so-soft groan escaping him when the other moved to claim his neck with a rough bite.

Unfortunately, this noise brought about a coughing fit from Axel, who shoved his boyfriend off and sat up, hands flying up to cover his mouth. He pulled his knees up to his chest, putting one hand down to steady himself as he continued coughing.

"You alright?" Marluxia asked, crouching by his side, a hand running through Axel's hair. "Did you take your meds this morning?" (_'King of mood swings,'_ Axel noted).

Axel was unable to answer until he had finished coughing (or hacking up his lung, which was what it sounded like). "I'm fine." When the question of his meds was brought up, he hunched his shoulders, a definite 'no'.

The brunette's eyes narrowed, "Axel, you know what happens if you don't take them!" Ever since Axel's HIV had been re-diagnosed as full-blown AIDS, Marluxia had become even more worried for him, pulling overtime at his job at a department store so that he could afford to pay their rent along with Axel's medicine.

"Dammit, 'lux," Axel growled back, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand. "You know goddamn well how expensive the things are." Stubborn as ever, he stood, using the coffee table to keep his balance before tossing himself onto the couch, kicking his feet up on the table.

Marluxia took in a deep, carefully controlled breath; Axel could be infuriating, not to mention that by not taking the medicine that he had been prescribed, he was endangering his life. When the other sat down, he did the same, grabbing a pillow and putting it between his back and the back of the couch.

"You know I care about you, Axel," Marluxia began the lecture, trying a different track with the impulsive teen. "And I don't want anything to happen to you."

Axel's acid eyes were blank, as if he wasn't fully there. It was the same look he had had in his eyes when Marluxia had nearly run him over when they first met; in layman terms, Axel wasn't paying attention.

"Pay attention," he snaps, "You've got to take the medicine, or else--"

The phone rang.

The phone rang again.

It was like some crappy movie, where the phone rings just in time to save someone from an awkward situation, so Marluxia was ready to ignore it, but when it didn't cease ringing, he stood, picking it up. Axel knew him so well, that by the way the brunette was holding the phone, he could tell the older man was frustrated with it for the mere act of ringing, and he wouldn't be surprised if Marluxia slammed the receiver down.

"What?" Marluxia asked, eyes narrowed as he spoke. "No…you're kidding me. You've got to be kidding me."

Axel stood, padding to the older's side, where he stood silently albeit impatiently for Marluxia to tell him what was going on.

When he put down the phone, Axel instantly opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by Marluxia raising his hand.

"We're going to the hospital. Get your things; I don't know how long we'll be there."

"What?" Axel demands, voice cracking in his outrage, "I'm fine, Marluxia! I didn't do anything!"

"This isn't about you, for once, Axel!" Marluxia's balled his hands into fists anxiously. "Just hurry up!"

The teen picked his bag up, settling the seatbelt-like strap comfortably over his shoulder. He followed the other silently, sliding back into the passenger side of the car. He slouched in his seat after tossing his bag in the back, feet up on the dashboard and seatbelt disregarded.

"What do you think you're doing?" Marluxia asked with a sigh, starting the car. "Sit up right, Axel, and put your seatbelt on. I mean it. This is really important, so just behave." Sometimes, Marluxia could hardly believe the difference between their maturity levels. Although they were roughly 3 years apart, the stark comparison between the two was remarkable; Axel acted like a juvenile.

After Axel seated himself correctly, Marluxia began to drive; the drive from the apartment was just as silently tense as the previous one to it.

"What happened? Why're we going to the hospital?" Axel's question was soft, as not to frustrate the older man further.

"Just shut up, Axel, I'm not in the mood for questions right now." Marluxia turned to glance at Axel, looking back at the street and slamming on the brakes just in time for the red light, "Fuck it! Goddammit, Axel, shut up! Just shut up!"

The younger flinched, drawing back and hugging himself as he stared out the window, teeth pulling at the inside skin of his lip, ripping it off and drawing blood.

There was no apology from Marluxia for his outburst, no forgiveness allowed; just a grim stare out at the road. He pulled into the hospital parking lot, getting out of the car without a word to Axel, who grabbed his bag and stumbled after his partner.

"What's wrong? Why are we here, 'lux?"

"Shut up," he snarled, "Just be quiet and do what I say." Checking in at the front desk, he held a quick muttered conference with the receptionist, before nodding politely and walking to the elevator, jamming one of the buttons, arms folded over his chest as Axel scurried after him.

He was carefully silent, still biting at his lip, ignoring the iron taste of blood in his mouth; it would heal eventually.

Marluxia exited on the 12th floor, letting Axel trail after him, struggling to keep his bag's shoulder strap on. "Room 224…" He counted off the numbers, drawing in a nervous breath before entering the room.

Axel followed, licking his bleeding lip, posture slouched and telling the others in the room what exactly he thought of being made to go to the hospital. There were four other people in the room, excluding himself and Marluxia. There was a nurse, who looked to the brunette and nodded, exiting. A prone figure lay in the hospital bed, with a blonde and a brunette boy, twins, by the looks of them, sitting in chairs beside her bed.

"Hey, Marly," the woman greeted them, eyes flickering to him.

Marluxia stood beside the bed, looking down at her. "Larxene, what happened?"

Axel, bored, amused himself by glaring at the two boys; both had remarkably blue eyes and unnatural hair that seemed to defy gravity. Hair gel has that power. The brunette stared at him, while the blonde glared back, before turning his attention back to the electronic game he held in his hands.

"Alcohol happened. I was hit by a drunk driver on the way home from picking Sora and Roxas up. They're fine, as you can see, but the hospital says I'll be in here for a while…that's why they called. They've got no one to look after them while I'm here." Larxene shrugged, wincing at the movement; she was so swathed in bandages Axel was surprised she could talk without screaming from pain.

"I can take care of them. Of course. But are you going to be alright?"

"Fine, broken leg and the like. Roxas, Sora, your uncle's going to take care of you for a while. You two need to do what he says."

Axel had heard of these three from Marluxia, but had tuned out the family stories.

"Axel, huh? I've heard about you. Good to meet you, I suppose, under the circumstances."

The redhead stared at her, only responding at a gentle shove from Marluxia. "Oh…right…yeah. Good to...um…meet you, too."

"Roxas, Sora, this is Axel. He's staying with us as well. Axel, Roxas is the blonde, and Sora is the brunette. They're 15." Marluxia was calmer since seeing his sister, and quickly made the introductions.

"Good…good to meet you, Axel," Sora stated, watching him nervously, as if he would leap at him and try to bite him. When Roxas merely grunted in response, his brother poked him, whispering, "Be polite, Roxas!"

"Yeah…Yo. Whatever." He still didn't look up from his game.

Larxene rolled her eyes at her son's behavior, before addressing Marluxia once more. "Call me if you've got any questions. Thanks, though, this means a lot to me."

He nodded, giving her an awkward one-armed hug. "We'll visit you…they haven't eaten, right?" When Larxene affirmed this, the man nodded, turning to the younger three. "Axel, take them to the car, I'll be right down."

Axel caught the keys tossed to him, shrugging and leading the way out, letting Sora walk quickly behind him and Roxas groan, put his game on pause, and follow his brother.

When they reached the elevator, Sora attempted to engage the surly older teen in conversation. "So…you're Axel? Uncle Marluxia said he almost hit you when you were in an alley. What were you doing in an alley?"

The redhead stared down at him, shrugging and looking at his reflection in the metal of the closed doors. "Living, I suppose."

"You lived in an alley?" Roxas asked incredulously looking up from his resumed game. "Why the hell were you living in an alley?"

"Why the hell do you live in a house?" Axel snapped back angrily, folding his arms and hunching back over, leaning against the wall.

"Because we can pay for it, duh!"

"Exactly."

Roxas' eyes widened as he took in the words. "You…you were a hobo?"

The elevator doors dinged open, with the happy little noise, as if they were ignoring or oblivious to the conversation that had gone on inside of it.

'_Ding!'_

Axel stalked out of the elevator, opening the door with his booted foot, to be greeted by a downpour of rain, drenching him from head to toe, literally. Had he been paying attention, he might have noticed the sudden change in the sky, but he didn't, so he was stuck, wet. "Fucking hell! I fucking hate this!"

Roxas laughed, turning his game off and putting it carefully under his shirt to keep it dry. "Idiot." Holding his jacket above his head as a makeshift umbrella, he held the door open for his brother, who did the same with his own coat.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. You're staying with me, remember?" Axel growled, pushing his hair out of his face. He hated getting wet, mainly because it completely messed up his hair, making it long and flat, not unlike a girl's. His red hair was down a little past his shoulder blades.

"So? _You're_ staying with _my _uncle, remember, jackass?" Roxas grinned, waiting for Axel to lead them to the car.

Axel arched his eyebrows, unlocking the car and getting in the passenger seat, followed by Sora who sat in the back. But, before Roxas could get in the car, Axel locked it, smirking out of the window. "You want jackass? I'll give you jackass, bitch."

Sora giggled despite himself, looking at Roxas' outraged (and wet) expression, before bursting into laughter. "Oh…god! That's awesome! Look at him! He's soooo mad!"

"Damn straight! Hell if he gets away with insulting me." Axel started the car, turning the heater on to help dry off. He didn't mind the Sora kid, but Roxas…well; he'd demonstrated how he felt about the blonde.

"Axel! Unlock the car!" Marluxia demanded, startling the redhead. Axel obliged, looking at the older man as Roxas got into the car, glaring at him sourly. "What were you doing? I told you to get them to the car!"

"I did…I just didn't let Roxas in."

The brunette sighed, shaking his head and he began to drive. "God…I have to put up with all of you for _how_ long, again?"

"Where are we eating?" Sora asked; he was hungry, as he hadn't eaten since lunch that day, which was the same case with his twin.

"We've got stuff at home, but it might just be easier to eat out…" Marluxia answered, turning onto a different street. "What do you two want to do?"

"Oh. Um. I don't really care. Anywhere's fine with me." Sora smiled politely.

"I want to go home, dammit, 'luxi," Axel demanded, banging his fist down on the dashboard in frustration. "I'm wet, tired, hungry, and just had to go from dealing with Xaldin asking if I was high to picking up the brats from the hospital! I want to go fucking home!"

Roxas fiddled with his wristband, wondering if it would be worth it to delay going to Marluxia's house (he wanted to go there) or put his own interests aside to piss Axel off further. Oh…wait… The red light on his PSP had started flashing, meaning its battery was getting low. "Dammit…I want to go home, too."

"Language, Roxas. You too, Axel. Not around the kids."

In Axel's opinion, Marluxia was taking much too well to the fatherly role of his nephews. "Why? Why's it matter if I curse around them? I mean, they're going to hear it anyways!"

Marluxia sighed, shaking his head as he pulled up to their apartment. "Axel…stop arguing."

The redhead shrugged, getting out of the car and taking his bag with him. "So? Anyway, what's for dinner, then, Marly?"

"How do you expect me to know? I haven't had as much _time_ to think as you have. After all, you were in one in jail."

"Uncle Marluxia, why was Axel in jail?" Sora questioned as they all got out of the car, Roxas shielding his PSP underneath his jacket to protect it from the rain. "I mean…if… if that's not too much of a personal question…"

"It is," Axel snapped at him, stomping up the front stairs into their apartment, where he opened the door and threw his bag inside. "So don't ask again, got it memorized?"

The young brunette winced at the words, following after his uncle silently, Roxas following him.

"Just warm something up. We don't have time for a four-course meal." Marluxia gave this order to his boyfriend, following by leading the twins to the spare room. "Sorry…you two'll have to share a room. Is that alright?"

"It's fine with me. Thank you, uncle." Sora smiled, setting his bag down beside the bed.

"I'm glad. Dinner will be soon, so you can unpack and settle in before that." After speaking, he made his way to the kitchen, where Axel was busy balancing frozen meals in one hand, the other opening the oven door. "Need help?" He offered, blue eyes settling on the contorted figure before him.

Axel narrowed his own gaze, a hiss escaping him, "I can do it myself!" A juvenile answer, immature and unsettled. Teenagers and infants are exactly alike; they want to do it themselves, they want what they want _now_.

Marluxia held his hand up in a peaceful gesture, palms facing the redhead, but it did nothing to ease the younger's agitation.

"Why? Why do they have to stay with us?" He demanded, slamming the oven door shut with the frozen dinners inside it. "Why? Don't we have enough problems?"

"Axel!" The elder snapped, grabbing a frail wrist in his hand, jerking the other to him. "They're my family. What am I supposed to do? What do you suggest? I throw them out onto the street? Would you honestly wish that on anyone, knowing what it was like?"

Axel turned away obstinately, but Marluxia still heard his answer. "No."

When setting in the 20 minute time to cook, Axel found Marluxia's arms wrapped around him in a hug, lips by his ear. "It won't be for too long, I promise."

"Empty promises, Marluxia. I know how you can't turn strays away."


End file.
